Editor's note: This story contains descriptions of casualties in missile attacks.
KYIV and LVIV, Ukraine 鈥� A barrage of Russian missiles hit Ukrainian cities Monday, killing at least 36 people and injuring more than 149, and destroying a large children鈥檚 hospital in Kyiv, the state emergency service said.
鈥淲e thought this was our bastion of security, that this couldn鈥檛 happen here,鈥� Khrystyna Korvach, a 29-year-old anesthesiologist at the Okhmatdyt children鈥檚 hospital, told NPR. 鈥淏ut it didn鈥檛 turn out that way. Why? Because Russia wants to kill us all.鈥�
At least 22 people, including two children, were killed in Ukraine鈥檚 capital, Kyiv, and another 82 injured, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration. There were more casualties in central and eastern Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian officials said the Russian military used fast-moving Kinzhal ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in the attacks, which came a day before the NATO summit in Washington, D.C.
Russia鈥檚 Defense Ministry that its forces were responding to the 鈥淜yiv regime鈥檚 attempts to damage Russian economic and energy facilities鈥� and used long-range weapons to hit 鈥渕ilitary industrial facilities of Ukraine and air bases of the Ukrainian armed forces.鈥� Russia denied hitting civilian targets and accused Ukraine of 鈥渉ysterics鈥� before the NATO summit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and said Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held accountable.
鈥淲e would like to see greater resolve in our partners and hear resolute responses to these attacks,鈥� Zelenskyy said in Warsaw, where he stopped on his way to the NATO summit. 鈥淚 can see a possibility for our partners to use their air defense systems in a way to hit the missiles that are carrying out attacks in our country.鈥�
The strike on the Okhmatdyt hospital, one of Ukraine鈥檚 largest treatment centers for children with cancer, drew international outrage. The hospital鈥檚 toxicology ward was largely destroyed, as well as intensive care and surgery units. Rescue workers said people were trapped under the rubble. Zelenskyy to social media showing dazed bystanders trying to clear the ruins. Inside, blood was visible in patients鈥� rooms where windows had been blown out.
Korvach, the anesthesiologist, described chaotic scenes of trying to evacuate injured staff and terrified young patients, some of whom were on ventilators.
鈥淲e started carrying the children in our arms to the emergency department on the ground floor,鈥� she said.
Another anesthesiologist, Yaroslava Ierofieieva, 51, said the missiles struck when the hospital was busy with operations.
鈥淓verything flew toward the doctors, the children,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he doctors finished in the operating rooms and walked into corridors filled with smoke. The children knew what was going on.鈥�
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, said in a statement that a U.N. team on site saw children 鈥渞eceiving treatment for cancer in hospital beds set up in parks and on streets, where medical workers had quickly established triage areas among chaos, dust and debris.鈥�
Monday鈥檚 attacks have added an urgency to Tuesday鈥檚 NATO summit, where the security alliance鈥檚 75th anniversary will also be marked. NATO leaders are expected to rebuff Ukraine鈥檚 membership bid but U.S. officials say they will offer more air defense systems to help Ukraine fend off near-daily Russian strikes.
Ukrainian leaders say they have been defending not only their own country against Russia but the Western democratic ideals that underpin NATO.
鈥淭he major thing that has to come out of this summit has to be total unambiguity of the future of Ukraine in NATO,鈥� said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a member of Ukraine鈥檚 parliament and former government minister who has been advocating for Ukraine鈥檚 NATO membership for years. 鈥淎nd this is important not exclusively for Ukraine. That is important for NATO itself.鈥�
Since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion in 2022, the U.S. and other NATO countries have contributed billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine. A senior U.S. official told NPR that the U.S. is set to give more air defense systems to Ukraine at this week鈥檚 summit and also provide a longer-term commitment to security needs. The official asked not to be named to brief reporters before the administration publicly announces new weaponry for Ukraine.
But Mustafa Nayyem, who until last month was in charge of Ukraine鈥檚 reconstruction agency, said he鈥檚 frustrated that U.S. officials also insist that Ukraine should not join NATO until it wins the war.
鈥淲e understand that without support of NATO,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e will not be able to win, so it鈥檚 quite a dilemma and paradox.鈥�
Ukrainians, too, have voiced frustration at what they view as some NATO countries鈥� focus on placating Russia.
鈥淣ATO calls itself one of the strongest, the most advanced alliances in the world, but they don鈥檛 act decisively,鈥� said Hennadiy Menko, a 27-year-old veterinarian in Kyiv. 鈥淭hey seem like a dog on a chain that barks and that鈥檚 it.鈥�
NPR鈥檚 Joanna Kakissis reported from Lviv. Kateryna Malofieieva and Polina Lytvynova reported from Kyiv. NPR鈥檚 Tom Bowman contributed to this report from Washington.
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